Popcorn Ceiling Removal in Central Florida

T2FDS removes popcorn ceilings across Central Florida at roughly $2.00–$4.00 per square foot, including scraping, skim coat and a paint-ready finish. Homes built before 1980 should be asbestos-tested first. Free on-site estimate within 24–48 hours.

Call or text (352) 630-3132 · Get a free estimate

Popcorn ceiling removal is the most price-shopped job in drywall, and the quotes vary wildly because contractors include different things. Here is exactly what the number covers and what changes it.

What it costs

ScopeTypical rangeNotes
Scrape + skim + paint-ready finish$2.00–$4.00 / sq ftOur standard scope. Ceiling area, not floor area.
Single room (approx. 200 sq ft)$400–$800Most bedrooms and dining rooms land here.
Whole house (approx. 1,800 sq ft)$3,600–$7,200Priced as one job; per-square-foot rate drops with volume.
Asbestos test (pre-1980 homes)$100–$300Third-party lab. Not performed by us.
Ceiling paintQuoted separatelyOptional — many customers paint themselves.

Read this first if your home was built before 1980

Popcorn texture applied before the early 1980s can contain asbestos. Scraping it dry releases fibres into the air throughout the house. This is not a scare tactic and it is not something to guess about.

If your ceiling predates 1980 and has never been tested, get a sample tested by a third-party lab before anyone scrapes anything. It costs roughly $100–$300 and takes a few days. We will not scrape an untested pre-1980 ceiling.

If it tests positive, the removal is a licensed abatement job and we will refer you rather than take it on. If it tests negative, we proceed normally. Either way you have a documented answer, which also matters when you sell the house.

How the job runs

  1. Mask everything — Floors, walls, doorways, fixtures and any furniture that stays. Popcorn removal is the messiest job in drywall and containment is most of the work.
  2. Wet-scrape the texture — The ceiling is lightly wetted and scraped rather than dry-sanded. Wet scraping keeps the dust down enormously and is easier on the paper face beneath.
  3. Repair what the texture was hiding — Popcorn was often used to hide bad tape joints. Once it is off, those joints show and have to be re-taped. This is the step cheap quotes leave out.
  4. Skim coat the full ceiling — A skim coat over the entire surface so the finished ceiling is uniform, not just de-textured.
  5. Sand, clean and hand over paint-ready — Final sand, full cleanup, debris removed. Ready for primer.

How long it takes

A single room is normally one to two days. A whole house is typically three to five working days, driven by cure time between coats rather than by scraping.

You can stay in the house. We work room by room and seal each work area, so you lose one room at a time rather than the whole home. Most customers move out of the affected bedroom for a night or two and otherwise carry on.

What it costs

Roughly $2.00–$4.00 per square foot of ceiling area, covering scrape, joint repair, skim coat and paint-ready finish. Height above standard, heavy water staining and multi-layer texture push toward the upper end. Free on-site estimate before any commitment.

Popcorn Ceiling Removal in Central Florida — FAQ

How much does popcorn ceiling removal cost in Florida?

With T2FDS, roughly $2.00–$4.00 per square foot of ceiling, including scraping, repairing the joints underneath, a full skim coat and a paint-ready finish. A typical 200 sq ft room runs $400–$800. Whole-house jobs are quoted as a single scope at the lower end of the rate.

How long does popcorn ceiling removal take for a whole house?

Usually three to five working days including scraping, joint repair, skim coating, sanding and cleanup. The limit is compound cure time between coats, not labour. We work room by room so you can stay in the house throughout.

Does my ceiling have asbestos?

If the house was built before roughly 1980, it might, and it should be tested by a third-party lab before anyone scrapes it. Testing costs about $100–$300. We do not scrape untested pre-1980 ceilings, and if a test comes back positive we refer you to licensed abatement rather than doing the work ourselves.

Is it messy? Do I need to move out?

It is the messiest job in drywall, which is why containment is most of the work. We mask floors, walls, doorways and fixtures, and wet-scrape rather than dry-sand to keep airborne dust down. Nearly all customers stay in the house and just avoid the room being worked.

Can you texture it again instead of leaving it smooth?

Yes. Most people want smooth, but we can apply knockdown, orange peel or a light hand texture instead if you prefer, or to match ceilings elsewhere in the house that are not being done.

Contact

Call or text (352) 630-3132 · DRomero@t2fds.com · Request a free estimate

Toronto 2 Florida Drywall Services · 310 Almond Street Suite 340, Clermont, FL 34711 · Insured · A+ BBB accredited · Active Florida LLC L18000113802 since 2018.